The invention relates to the homodyne detection of modulated optical signals. In homodyne detection, the carrier component of an optical wave which has been modulated in response to data is amplified prior to feeding the modulated wave to detection apparatus such as a photodiode. If an independent local oscillator such as a laser is used to provide the amplification power it is necessary to phase lock this to the incoming optical carrier. This requires that the local signal must have the same frequency as the carrier signal. Optical phase locking of two lasers using an optical analogue of the electronic phase lock loop has proved to be possible, but difficult.